Aquatic Therapy and Autism Spectrum Disorders (AT&ASD)

To compare the efficacy of one-on-one versus group-based aquatic therapy on the social interactions, behaviors and physical activities of children with autism spectrum disorders (ASDs).

Study Overview

• Status: Completed
• Conditions: Autism Spectrum Disorder
• Intervention / Treatment: Other: Aquatic Physical Therapy

• Study Type: Interventional
• Enrollment (Actual): 50
• Phase: Not Applicable

Contacts and Locations

Study Locations

• United States
  • Texas
    • Amarillo, Texas, United States, 79106
      • Turn Center

Participation Criteria

Eligibility Criteria

• Ages Eligible for Study: 3 years to 17 years (CHILD)
• Accepts Healthy Volunteers: No
• Genders Eligible for Study: All

Description

Eligibility criteria:

• DSM-V diagnosis of Autism Spectrum Disorder or DSM-IV diagnosis of Asperger's syndrome or high functioning atypical autism or pervasive development disorder - not otherwise specified or else the typical clinical findings and suspicion of an ASD
• Treatment naïve to prior aquatic therapy

Exclusion criteria:

• Not willing to undergo an investigational treatment
• Unable to cooperate well enough to safely participate in aquatic therapy under the protocol guidelines
• Known allergies to pool chemicals
• Other significant co-morbidities which may include (but is not limited to): severe cerebral palsy with low motor function, advanced pulmonary disease, home oxygen requirement, spina bifida with low motor function, permanent feeding tubes, poorly controlled seizure disorder, chronic indwelling urinary catheters or any condition causing severe cognitive impairment

Study Plan

How is the study designed?

Design Details

• Primary Purpose: TREATMENT
• Allocation: RANDOMIZED
• Interventional Model: PARALLEL
• Masking: DOUBLE

Number of Arms

3

Arms and Interventions

Participant Group / Arm	Intervention / Treatment
NO_INTERVENTION: Observation
ACTIVE_COMPARATOR: One-on-one Aquatic Therapy	Other: Aquatic Physical Therapy; Swim Whisperer's Aquatic Therapy Sessions
EXPERIMENTAL: Group Aquatic Therapy	Other: Aquatic Physical Therapy; Swim Whisperer's Aquatic Therapy Sessions

What is the study measuring?

Primary Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure	Measure Description	Time Frame
Change in PedsQL Score	Survey	Baseline and 10 weeks after intervention

Collaborators and Investigators

• Sponsor: Sloan W. Rush, MD

Study record dates

Study Major Dates

• Study Start (ACTUAL): June 12, 2017
• Primary Completion (ACTUAL): April 12, 2022
• Study Completion (ACTUAL): April 12, 2022

Study Registration Dates

• First Submitted: June 12, 2017
• First Submitted That Met QC Criteria: June 20, 2017
• First Posted (ACTUAL): June 22, 2017

Study Record Updates

• Last Update Posted (ACTUAL): April 21, 2022
• Last Update Submitted That Met QC Criteria: April 20, 2022
• Last Verified: April 1, 2022

More Information

Terms related to this study

• Keywords: aquatic therapy, hydrotherapy
• Additional Relevant MeSH Terms: Mental Disorders; Neurodevelopmental Disorders; Autistic Disorder; Autism Spectrum Disorder; Child Development Disorders, Pervasive
• Other Study ID Numbers: AT&ASD

Plan for Individual participant data (IPD)

• Plan to Share Individual Participant Data (IPD)?: NO

Drug and device information, study documents

• Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated drug product: No
• Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated device product: No